Eating utensil and dispenser for providing eating utensils, and use of a sheet structure replicating the &#34;salt cellar&#34; origami game as an eating utensil

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a dispenser for providing eating utensils ( 10 ) which are designed as single-piece gripping elements for picking up food, in particular finger food, and have a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure having an outside to face the food to be picked up and a finger contact side opposite said outside and comprising at least three gripping sections ( 12 - 1, 12 - 2, 12 - 3, 12 - 4 ) which can be accessed from the finger contact side, are shaped as finger protection depressions for accommodating fingers of a users hand, and extend sharply tapering toward the inside, the gripping sections being delimited by in particular triangular wall sections ( 111, 222 ) having interposed fold lines ( 18 ), the gripping sections being able to be moved in an articulated manner toward and away from each other by means of at least some of the fold lines so as to perform gripping movements, the dispenser comprising at least one stack ( 20 ) formed of the eating utensils, in which the outsides of the eating utensils ( 10 ) are located opposite the finger contact sides of directly adjoining eating utensils so that the finger contact side of the eating utensil ( 10   a ) located on the outside in the stack in each case faces toward the outside, the dispenser being able to be set up such that the eating utensil ( 10   a ) located on the outside in the stack ( 20 ) can be pulled off the stack ( 20 ) by a user using the finger engagement in the corresponding gripping sections that is already suitable for the proper use of the eating utensil.

The present invention is concerned with eating utensils, in particular disposable eating utensils, for picking up food, in particular finger food, such as chicken legs or chicken wings, spare ribs, chips, vegetable sticks or the like, comprising at least three gripping sections into which a respective finger of the hand of a user, for example thumb, index finger and/or middle finger, can be introduced in order to pick up food with the fingers. The invention also relates in particular to a dispenser for easily providing such eating utensils to users.

An eating utensil of the type referred to above is known for example from WO 2009/023600 A2. The eating utensil shown there has claw-like gripping sections which lie against the index finger and middle finger and also the thumb, and which protect the fingers in question on their inside against soiling. Further, the gripping sections have sharpened ends which are provided, inter alia, for cutting off pieces of meat. This known eating utensil is manufactured from plastics material, and has a relatively complicated shape. The three gripping sections are joined together by a central joint or spring element, so that the gripping sections are pre-stressed in their opening position, i.e. are designed to counteract the force applied by the fingers of one hand for picking up food.

Further, a holder for spare ribs which is formed by two toothed sections which lie opposite one another and are connected in an articulated manner is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,704.

The known eating utensils are somewhat unwieldy in their shaping, and have to be provided in the finished shaped state, which increases in particular the space requirement for many such eating utensils. Since these known eating utensils are pincer-like devices, possibly with claw-like ends for holding onto or cutting off food, they are made from solid materials and are designed as re-usable articles which have to be cleaned after use.

The object of the invention is to set forth a way of providing eating utensils of the type mentioned in large numbers in a space-saving, inexpensive and hygienic manner so that they are comfortable to use, the invention being aimed in particular at disposable eating utensils which can be disposed of after a single use.

To achieve this object, there is devised a dispenser for providing eating utensils which are designed as single-piece gripping elements for picking up food, in particular finger food, and have a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure having an outside to face the food to be picked up and a finger contact side opposite said outside and comprising at least three gripping sections which can be accessed from the finger contact side, are shaped as finger protection depressions for accommodating fingers of a user's hand, and extend sharply tapering toward the inside, the gripping sections being delimited by in particular triangular wall sections having interposed fold lines, the gripping sections being able to be moved in an articulated manner toward and away from each other by means of at least some of the fold lines so as to perform gripping movements, the dispenser comprising at least one stack formed of the eating utensils, in which the outsides of the eating utensils are located opposite the finger contact sides of directly adjoining eating utensils so that the finger contact side of the eating utensil located on the outside in the stack in each case faces toward the outside, the dispenser being able to be set up such that the eating utensil located on the outside in the stack can be pulled off the stack by a user using the finger engagement in the corresponding gripping sections that is already suitable for the proper use of the eating utensil. Eating utensils which are designed in such a manner have to be held for use, lying flat on one another in a compact stack, in large numbers and in a space-saving manner in the dispenser, the user only having to take hold of the outermost eating utensil in the stack in each case with one grasping action in order to pull it off from the stack; in so doing, he already introduces his fingers into the gripping sections such that he grasps the eating utensil with the finger engagement that is already suitable for picking up food. The eating utensils are housed in the stack protected by their respective neighbours, so that in each case only the eating utensil which is outermost in the stack (uppermost in the case of a vertical stack orientation) lies open for direct access on its finger contact side. The outermost eating utensil of the stack can thus be picked up with the fingers of one hand without having; to touch the outside, which faces the food in use, of the uppermost or any other eating utensil of the stack.

The eating utensils themselves can be made from very inexpensive materials, such as paper or plastics material. It is also proposed to manufacture them from biocompostable materials, such as poly bio calcium carbonate (PBC) or polylactic acid (PLA). A suitable material for producing the eating utensils is furthermore siliconised imitation parchment paper.

The dispenser preferably has a frame which contains the stack with an access opening for the respective access to the eating utensil which is located on the outside in the stack. This frame may be e.g. a shaft, which accommodates the stack and is open at the top, in a housing, for example a dispenser box.

Additional developments of the dispenser and the eating utensils located therein are set forth in Claims 2-9.

An eating utensil of the type considered here may be produced e.g. starting from a substantially flat sheet which is made from a suitable material, such as paper, plastics material or the like, by shaping, in particular folding, the gripping sections being formed such that each finger which is introduced into a relevant gripping section is surrounded substantially completely by the gripping section in the region of its fingertip, in particular finger pad and fingernail.

The configuration of the gripping sections such that the introduced fingers are surrounded substantially completely by the gripping section in the region of their fingertips offers better protection for the fingers from soiling and from the heat of the possibly heated food. Further, hygienic holding of the eating utensil and hygienic picking-up of food is made possible, since the fingers do not come into direct contact with the food.

It is preferred for the eating utensil to be made from a sheet which is coated at least in part, in particular on one side, preferably a sheet of paper. Such a coating may for example improve the heat resistance of the sheet or protect the sheet from picking up moisture or fat. This may be achieved for example by a metallic coating, such as aluminium, or plastics coating. Further, a coating may also serve to improve the feel for the user of the eating utensil. It is in particular also envisaged for the sheet to have optionally different coatings on its two sides, so that parts of the eating utensil which face the food which is to be picked up are provided with a suitable coating for this, and that those parts of the eating utensil which come into contact with the user's hand have a coating suitable for picking-up and holding on. Further, it is envisaged to use multi-layer sheets, for example made of two layers of paper with an interposed layer of another material, preferably a film or foil, in particular aluminium foil.

The eating utensil is preferably shaped such that the gripping sections are of tetrahedral or pyramidal configuration, leaving out a respective side or base surface, such that each gripping section is formed as a tetrahedral or pyramidal hollow body into which a relevant finger of the hand of a user can be introduced. Food can be picked up very well with the tips formed by the tetrahedral or pyramidal form. The tips, as far as their dimensions are concerned, are also smaller than the fingers accommodated therein, so that smaller pieces of food can also be picked up without particularly great difficulty. Picking up food by means of the tips of the gripping sections which are of small dimensions is likewise improved compared with gripping it with bare fingers. These inward-tapering forms of the gripping sections permit easy, only roughly aimed access thereto with the fingers, and are further important for the function of forming a compact stack, the gripping sections of adjacent eating utensils which correspond to each other being inserted into one another lying flat against one another in the stack.

Alternatively to the folding of the sheet to form an eating utensil, it can also be envisaged to produce the eating utensil in a casting or embossing process. By way of example, reference is made to the filling of corresponding shapes with a type of paper pulp or plastics material.

In a further development, it is proposed that the gripping sections be coated at least on their side facing the food which is to be or has been picked up. Further, it is preferred that at least partially textured surfaces be provided on the gripping sections, in particular in the form of grooves, nubs or the like. For this, it is proposed that the textured surface be provided on the outside facing a piece of food which is to be picked up or/and on the inside facing the fingers (finger contact side) of the gripping sections.

Such a surface texture may alternatively or additionally be provided for the coating already mentioned. Such textured surfaces permit improved picking up of or holding onto food. Further, such surface textures may also support or improve holding onto the eating utensil by means of the fingers.

Additionally or alternatively, an adhesive may be provided on the inside of the gripping sections which faces the fingers, in which case here in particular a biocompatible adhesive is envisaged, such as is used, for example, for sticky notes or the like. Such an adhesive improves the connection between fingers and eating utensil, so that picking-up of or holding onto the eating utensil is facilitated or improved.

It is further proposed that the tips of the tetrahedral or pyramidal gripping sections serving for picking up a piece of food have a reinforcement element, preferably in the form of a coating or a partial filling of the cavity located on the inside on the finger side. Depending on how thick the sheet from which the eating utensil has been produced is, the tips may become deformed upon relatively long use, so that the picking-up of food no longer functions optimally. In order to counteract the deformation of the tips when using the eating utensil, these tips may be reinforced. Such reinforcement serves in particular as a type of stiffening of the tips. Filling of the cavity of the tips appears particularly advantageous. Since such filling of the tips takes place in a region which as a rule cannot be reached at all by the fingers because the tip is too narrow for a finger to be able to advance entirely into the tip, filling of this region for the purpose of reinforcing the tip is also not a hindrance during use, i.e. upon picking up and holding onto such an eating utensil.

Preferably, the sheet from which the eating utensil is formed is formed or folded in the form of the “cootie catcher” game. It is particularly preferred that the sheet be an in particular square sheet of paper which is shaped or folded in the manner mentioned.

In the stack of eating utensils already mentioned, the insides of the gripping sections of an uppermost eating utensil of the stack can be freely accessed by a potential user, so that the uppermost eating utensil of the stack can be simply picked up and lifted off the stack by introducing fingers into the respective gripping sections. The removal of the eating utensil from the stack takes place under hygienic conditions, since the fingers come into contact only with the insides (finger contact sides) of the eating utensil, but not with the outsides of the removed eating utensil and also not with further eating utensils which are not used by the user in question.

Further, the invention also relates to a sheet of paper or plastics material which preferably has a square surface and on which fold lines are specified by drawing or by embossing the sheet, such that the sheet can be shaped into an eating utensil by means of folding along the fold lines in a predetermined sequence. For this, it is further proposed that signs or numbers which symbolise the sequence or/and the direction of folding be provided on the sheet in addition to the fold lines.

According to a further aspect, according to the invention also a packaging unit with at least one sheet which has just been described is provided, the sheet being contained in the packaging unit preferably in a pre-folded state. In such case, a pre-folded state of the sheet may be such that the sheet is small with respect to its space requirement, in particular its spatial or two-dimensional space requirement. Further, the pre-folding may be carried out such that the finished production of the eating utensil is simplified for a user.

Finally, according to the invention the use of a paper or plastics-material sheet folded in the manner of the “cootie catcher” game as an eating utensil for food, in particular finger food, chicken legs or chicken wings, spare ribs, chips, vegetable sticks and the like is also proposed. On this point, reference is made to Claims 10 to 14.

The eating utensil is preferably provided as a recyclable disposable product. Using an eating utensil as described above means that a saving can be made on serviettes, which are otherwise necessary for cleaning the fingers. The disposable eating utensil also offers the possibility of taking away and consuming food on the go, in particular also for foods which are difficult to handle, such as chicken wings or the like.

The subject of the invention is furthermore an eating utensil according to Claim 15 and in a preferred development according to Claim 16. The eating utensil according to the invention is likewise preferably formed as a disposable product from a biocompostable material, in particular poly bio calcium carbonate (PBC) or polylactic acid (PLA).

One particularly preferred variant of the eating utensil according to the invention consists of a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure which is formed in imitation of the “cootie catcher” sheet-folding game. An eating utensil which is formed in this way is in particular also suitable as an advertising medium with printed advertising messages, and will by its nature also be used by many users as a game in certain respects.

The invention will now be described below by way of example and non-restrictively with reference to the appended figures.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of an eating utensil according to the invention with a view of the outside.

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a sheet before it is formed into an eating utensil, with fold lines and symbols which are drawn thereon.

FIG. 3 shows, in the partial figures a and b, stacks of eating utensils, with an example of a dispenser with such a stack being illustrated in partial figure b.

FIG. 4 shows, in the partial figures a and b, further embodiments of an eating utensil according to the invention, only the flat, non-folded or non-shaped view being illustrated.

FIG. 1 shows an eating utensil 10 for picking up food, in the form of a folded sheet, here a sheet of paper which is folded in accordance with the “cootie catcher” game. The eating utensil comprises four gripping sections 12-1 to 12-4, which can be opened and closed in pairs in each case. For example, the gripping sections 12-1 and 12-2, and 12-3 and 12-4, may lie against each other, so that an opening can be formed between these respective pairs of gripping sections, with which opening food can be picked up. The gripping sections 12-1 to 12-4 are designed such that they substantially completely surround introduced fingers, such as an index finger 14 or a thumb 16, in the region of their respective fingertips 14 a or 16 a. That is to say that both the finger pad 16 b located on the inner side of the hand and the fingernails 14 c, 16 c located on the outer side of the hand are covered by the respective gripping sections 12-1 and 12-4. “Fingertip” is understood to mean in particular the distal end of the fingers 14, 16, which comprises at least a part of the third phalanx (distal phalanx). In the example of FIG. 1, a thumb 16 and an index finger 14 of the left hand of a user are introduced into the gripping sections 12-1 and 12-4 respectively. If an eating utensil 10 is held conventionally, the middle finger (gripping section 12-3) and the ring finger (gripping section 12-2) would then be introduced into the gripping sections 12-2 and 12-3. The illustrated configuration according to FIG. 1 relates by way of example to the left hand of a user, but of course can readily be transferred to a right hand of a user.

FIG. 2 shows a sheet of paper or plastics material which is provided with fold lines 18 in order to be able to produce an eating utensil according to FIG. 1 from the sheet by shaping or folding. The fold lines 18 are laid out on the square sheet corresponding to the specifications for the “cootie catcher” game. The folding of the sheet yields the surfaces marked 111 and 222 on the gripping sections 12-1 to 12-4, with which surfaces food can be held. What is special is that these surfaces of the pyramidal gripping sections are formed in multiple layers with respect to the fingers 14, 16 due to the folding. That is to say that in particular better insulation occurs with respect to the food which is to be picked up, which beneficially influences the heat felt by the user on his fingers 14, 16 and prevents injuries due to burning or similar. Further, the fingers are protected from penetrating fluid (water/fat). As indicated on the sheet 17 or also the finished eating utensil 10 of FIG. 1, imprints, embossings or the like in the form of a logo may also be provided on some of the surfaces. Such a logo may for example be the name of a restaurant in which food can be eaten using eating utensils 10. Also other signs or symbols might be arranged on the surfaces 111, 222, such as arrows or the like, in order for example to specify directions of folding.

FIG. 3 shows in the partial figures a and b stacks 20 of eating utensils 10, the stack 20 in the partial figure being shown in an e.g. transparent plastics box 22 which with the stack 20 represents an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention. The box 22 in the case of the example has a cuboid form with an upper access opening 23. Other configurations of boxes or frames may also be considered, e.g. also those which have a cross-section having a contour which corresponds to the external peripheral contour of an eating utensil 10. The stacks 20 are constructed such that an uppermost eating utensil 10 a engages with its tetrahedrally or pyramidally formed gripping sections 12-1 a to 12-1 d in an adjacent, underlying eating utensil 10 b. In such case, the outsides of the uppermost eating utensil 10 a which serve for picking up food lie against the insides of the gripping sections of the eating utensil 10 b. Owing to this stacking, the uppermost eating utensil 10 a can be held securely by introducing fingers into the gripping sections 12-1 a to 12-1 d, and then can be removed upwards from the stack 20. The removal of the uppermost eating utensil 10 a from the rest of the eating utensils, in particular also the eating utensil 10 b lying immediately thereunder, in such case takes place hygienically, without the adjacent eating utensil 10 b or other eating utensils of the stack having to be held or touched.

As can be seen from FIG. 3 b, logo imprints or embossings can also be seen on the lowermost eating utensil 10 c of the stack 20, so that the stack can be identified for a corresponding business. FIG. 3 b also illustrates very clearly that the selected shaping of the eating utensils 10 a to c permits compact storage even in the shaped state of the eating utensils, since successive eating utensils of the stack are accommodated virtually completely in one another. An upper eating utensil 10 a protrudes above the adjacent lower eating utensil 10 b at the most with a small edge. Such a stack 20 is also very stable per se and can be set up without further holding means in a self-supporting manner on a table or other base. For reasons of hygiene, it may possibly be useful for the lowermost eating utensil 10 c to be introduced into a holding means which is designed to complement the eating utensil, so that the gripping sections of this lowermost eating utensil 10 c do not come into contact with a for example dirty table surface.

Whereas, as preferred shaping, a folded sheet which has been folded corresponding to the folding specifications of the “cootie catcher” game was presented as an eating utensil 10 in FIGS. 1 to 3, the embodiments of FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show alternatives to this. Starting from a triangular (FIG. 4 a) or rectangular, and in particular square, (FIG. 4 b) base surface 24, respective tetrahedrons 26-1 to 26-4 are formed on each edge 24-1 to 24-4 by cutting, folding and gluing together, which tetrahedrons are movable about the respective edges 24-1 to 24-4 relative to the base surface 24. In these alternative embodiments too, the actuation takes place by introducing fingers into the tetrahedral gripping sections 26-1 to 26-4 and the movement of these gripping sections 26-1 to 26-4 toward each other or away from each other.

Suitable materials for the production of eating utensils according to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4 which are shown are paper, in particular coated paper, or plastics material. A sheet 17 according to FIG. 2 may be provided in a pre-folded form, in which for example the large triangles 19 formed by a “logo” space, a triangle 111 and a triangle 222 are folded to the back relative to the plane of the paper of FIG. 2, so that a smaller square is produced. This smaller square could then be made available in a packaging unit with at least one such sheet 17, for example bonded into a plastics film. Of course, a plurality of sheets may also be provided as a stack or sales or packaging unit. In the case of sheets 17 being provided in the non-folded or partially folded state, a user of an eating utensil 10 could then remove the sheet 17 from the packaging unit and fold it over to form the finished eating utensil 10. 

1. Dispenser for providing eating utensils (10) which are designed as single-piece gripping elements for picking up food, in particular finger food, and have a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure having an outside to face the food to be picked up and a finger contact side opposite said outside and comprising at least three gripping sections (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) which can be accessed from the finger contact side, are shaped as finger protection depressions for accommodating fingers of a user's hand, and extend sharply tapering toward the inside, the gripping sections being delimited by in particular triangular wall sections (111, 222) having interposed fold lines (18), the gripping sections being able to be moved in an articulated manner toward and away from each other by means of at least some of the fold lines so as to perform gripping movements, the dispenser comprising at least one stack (20) formed of the eating utensils, in which the outsides of the eating utensils (10) are located opposite the finger contact sides of directly adjoining eating utensils so that the finger contact side of the eating utensil (10 a) located on the outside in the stack in each case faces toward the outside, the dispenser being able to be set up such that the eating utensil (10 a) located on the outside in the stack (20) can be pulled off the stack (20) by a user using the finger engagement in the corresponding gripping sections that is already suitable for the proper use of the eating utensil.
 2. Dispenser according to claim 1, having a frame (22) which contains the stack with an access opening (23) for the respective access to the eating utensil (10 a) located on the outside in the stack.
 3. Dispenser according to claim 1, the three-dimensional sheet structure of the eating utensil (10) corresponding to the structure of the “cootie catcher” game.
 4. Dispenser according to claim 2, the frame being a shaft which accommodates the stack (20) and is open at the top, in a housing (22).
 5. A dispenser according to claim 1, the eating utensils (10) being formed from initially substantially flat sheets of paper or/and plastics material which are shaped into the three-dimensional structure by folding according to a specific folding pattern.
 6. Dispenser according to claim 1, the eating utensils (10) being cast parts, or parts produced in an injection-moulding process or thermoformed parts.
 7. Dispenser according to claim 5, the eating utensils (10) having on one side or on both sides a layer, in particular an impregnation layer.
 8. Dispenser according to claim 1, with at least partially textured surfaces being provided on the gripping sections (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) of the eating utensils (10).
 9. Dispenser according to claim 1, the eating utensils (10) being formed from a biocompostable material, in particular poly bio calcium carbonate (PBC) or polylactic acid (PLA). 10.-14. (canceled)
 15. Eating utensil which is designed as a single-piece gripping element for picking up food, in particular finger food, has a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure having an outside to face the food to be picked up and a finger contact side opposite said outside and comprising at least three gripping sections (12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4) which can be accessed from the finger contact side, are shaped as finger protection depressions for accommodating fingers of a user's hand, and extend sharply tapering toward the inside, the gripping sections being delimited by in particular triangular wall sections (111, 222) having interposed fold lines (18), the gripping sections being able to be moved in an articulated manner toward and away from each other by means of at least some of the fold lines (18) so as to perform gripping movements, the eating utensil (10) being a cast part, a part produced in an injection-moulding process or a thermoformed part made from a biocompostable material, in particular poly bio calcium carbonate (PBC) or polylactic acid (PLA).
 16. Eating utensil according to claim 15, the three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure being formed in imitation of the “cootie catcher” sheet-folding game.
 17. A method of eating food, comprising using a three-dimensionally shaped sheet structure, which is formed in imitation of the “cootie catcher” sheet-folding game, to pick up food and convey the food to a mouth of a user.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sheet structure is formed from a folded sheet (17) of paper or plastics material and having an impregnating layer on one or both sides.
 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sheet structure is a cast part, a part produced in an injection-moulding process or a thermoformed part.
 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sheet structure is formed from a biocompostable material.
 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the sheet structure is formed from poly bio calcium carbonate (PBC) or polylactic acid (PLA). 